Method for displaying an environmentally modulated expiration date

ABSTRACT

A system and method for dynamically adjusting expiration dates displayed on consumer products, the system and method utilizing an LCD display for displaying an expiration date and messages, sensors for monitoring environmental conditions, a clock for counting back the expiration date, and a controller for determining messages and adjustments to the displayed expiration date based on monitored environmental conditions.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/994,333filed Nov. 26, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,795,376.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and method for displayingexpiration dates for consumer products, and more particularly, relatesto an environmentally modulated expiration date display that adjusts theexpiration date to reflect changes resulting from environmental factors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various consumer products have associated expiration dates after whichthe product is no longer considered effective, or safe, for its intendeduse. For example, many foods have expiration dates after which the foodis no longer considered fresh.

Expiration dates presuppose that a product has been maintained underassumed conditions, which may or may not be the conditions that theproduct is actually subjected to. In determining an expiration date topre-print on a product, uncertainty as to how a product will be storedmay warrant conservative estimates, especially when use of an expiredproduct may have costly consequences. For example, a medicinal productmight reasonably have a long shelf life, but shorter expirationestimates may be appropriate to avoid even a small risk that a patientwill not receive a prescribed dosage of medicine.

Another example is ice cream. Ice cream typically has an expiration dateone year from manufacture. However, if it is not kept at the requiredfreezing temperature, then the shelf life of the ice cream isdrastically reduced. Also, when the container is opened and air isintroduced into the container, the environmental conditions changesignificantly in a manner not accounted for on the preprinted expirationdate on the container. Similarly, containers of copier toner, postagemeter ink, or cleaning solvents may have significantly altered shelflives depending on the environmental conditions they experience.

The accuracy of an expiration date is dependent upon the integrity ofthe product packaging. If the seal on a container fails, the containerwall is punctured, or the product is tampered with then the product maybecome contaminated or deteriorate. In the case of a carbonated beverageor fine wine a breach in the container seal ends the “storage” phase ofthe product life cycle and initiates the “consumption” phase of theproduct life cycle in which the expiration date is significantlyshortened. The current expiration date system uses static informationand does not base the information on the conditions within the containerat hand.

Conventional product packaging does not offer dynamic adjustment to theexpiration date in response to environmental conditions in a manner thatprovides credibility and accuracy to the expiration date.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To meet the shortcomings of the existing art, the present inventionprovides a method and system for an environmentally modulated expirationdate display that adjusts the expiration date to reflect theenvironmental changes experienced by the product.

The invention preferably utilizes an LCD display with a date (andpossibly a time) set to display a future expiration date for a product.In the preferred embodiment, a clock associated with the LCD display ispreset to the most remote expected expiration date, under the assumptionthat the product will be stored under conditions to achieve maximumshelf life. The clock is designed to run in reverse, that is, to runtowards a time closer to the present. Sensors detect environmentalfactors such as temperature, humidity, container seal integrity, andother relevant factors, as the case may be. When preset environmentalboundary conditions are met (e.g. the container is opened, or thetemperature rises above freezing) the clock starts, causing thedisplayed expiration date to move towards the present. Fuzzy logic,linear logic, lookup tables, or preprogrammed proportional relationshipsare used to modulate the clock speed based on deviation of theenvironmental conditions from preferred values. Alternatively the clockcan be preset to an expected expiration date and clock can extend orshorten the expiration date based on whether favorable or unfavorableconditions are present.

The expiration display, according to the present invention, will alsoprovide preset text messages to signify when a product should be usedimmediately, or whether the product is no longer usable.

The invention also allows for identification of improper shippingconditions (a grocery store can check expiration date on newly deliveredproduct; if ice cream should have a 1 year expiration date but itreports only 3 months then the batch has been warmed in transit and thelife shortened). The dynamic expiration dates allow the store to seekcompensation from the shipper. It also allows a grocery story to placethe food with the shortest life expectancy in the front of the shelf(today this is done by placing the “oldest” stock in the front of theshelf). Storage conditions, however, may have caused other productinventory to have the least remaining shelf life. Rotation of the stockis based on actual shelf life not the static date.

The expiration date display of the present invention may also be used toadvise that the product has experienced a temporary condition that makesit unfit for current use. The display can also report when a productthat is not yet ready for use becomes ready, or when a product reachespeak quality for consumption.

In addition to monitoring environmental conditions, the presentinvention may also be used detect the condition of the product itself,and to determine whether the product is in a condition that is no longerusable. For example, products like milk, juice, or wine become sour whenthey “go bad.” The present invention can monitor the pH of product andreport when it is starting to pass its prime, and when it is no longerusable.

Thus an advantage of the present invention is that accurate expirationdates can be provided on products. When products are exposed to adverseenvironmental conditions the displayed expiration date changes toreflect those conditions. When threshold events, such as breaking a sealon the package occur the predicted shelf life and expiration date areadjusted and displayed accordingly.

It will also be apparent that the present invention may be applicablefor tamper detection. Where conventional packaging offers simpleprotection against tampering, such as a non-reusable foil seal, thepresent invention can enhance tamper detection by monitoring conditionsof the package. For example, an embodiment of the present invention thatdetects that a vacuum seal has been broken for the purposes ofexpiration date modification, may also be used for tamper detection,even where a container has been breached at a location other than thetamper resistant foil.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more readily apparent upon consideration of the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings,in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout thedrawings and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a preferred system for displaying environmentallymodified expiration dates.

FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart depicting a preferred mode of operating thesystem of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a table providing exemplary environmental conditions thattrigger expiration date adjustments for different products.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A system for implementing the display of environmentally modifiedexpiration dates is depicted in FIG. 1. LCD display 1 is mounted on thepackage of the respective product for which an expiration date 4 isdisplayed. The expiration date 4 is typically a day, but if greateraccuracy is required, it may also include a time. LCD 1 is preferablycomprised of any well-known inexpensive LCD display, for example of thetype used in inexpensive digital watches. The expiration date 4 iscontrolled and modified by a signal from controller 2 which includes aclock 3.

Controller 2 receives sensor signals from one or more sensors 10.Sensors 10 may include temperature sensors, humidity sensors, pressuresensors, or trip switches. Each of these different kinds of sensorsdetects different environmental conditions relevant to the expirationdate of the product. Based on the sensor signals received from sensors10, controller 2 adjusts the expiration date 4 shown on LCD display 1.

Controller 2 is preset when the product is packaged to cause the displayof a predetermined expiration date 4. Controller 2 is also preprogrammedto recognize environmental trigger conditions while monitoring sensors10. Upon detecting an environmental trigger condition, controller 2adjusts the expiration date 4.

Such an environmental trigger point may cause a one time adjustment tothe expiration date. For example, upon opening a vacuum sealed package,the product will no longer have the benefit of the preserving propertiesof vacuum, and a one time expiration date adjustment may be appropriate.Thus where a product may have had one year of shelf life left before thepackage is opened, controller 2 can be preprogrammed to recognize thatits effective shelf life is now one month, and the expiration date 4 canbe reduced accordingly.

Adjustments to the expiration date 4 may also be continually made for aslong as the product is being subject to the triggering environmentalconditions. For example, for as long as a frozen product is exposed toabove freezing temperatures, the prospective shelf life may becomeshorter and shorter, until the product is returned to a freezingenvironment. For this kind of expiration date adjustment, the presentinvention preferably uses clock 3 to count downwards from the previousexpiration date towards the present at a predetermined rate. When thepreset limits are exceeded (e.g. the container is opened, or thetemperature rises above freezing) the clock 3 is started, causing thepreset expiration date to move towards the present. Thus, based on themodulated clock 3 output during the adverse environmental condition, anappropriate adjustment is made to the expiration date 4 to be displayed.

The invention preferably uses small and inexpensive device components.Inexpensive sensors for pressure, pH, temperature, humidity, andcontinuity are readily available in very small form factors may be usedfor sensors 10. Medical advances in diagnostic techniques (e.g. instanttest for strep throat) have resulted in very cost effective rapidreading detectors for various pathogens. For controller 2 and display 1,advances in calculator technologies and digital wrist watches haveresulted in controllers and digital displays that cost less than adollar in consumer implementations, are completely sealed, and run usingtiny “button” or flexible flat format batteries for years. These devicesmay be manufactured as small self contained devices that are embedded inthe product container wall or cover; they may be attached on top of thepackage (like the antitheft security tags at department stores), or theymay be built into the package.

With current technologies to build circuits, the container could be usedas the substrate with circuitry deposited upon the substrate and coveredwith a laminate. A battery might become an element in the packagestructure. The devices could be programmed to reset when the power wasremoved or a new battery installed. This would allow reinitializationand reuse. The devices could have a series of “switch” selectors todetermine the sensors being used and the lookup table algorithms toactivate. In that way a single device could be made and the applicationset by configuration at the installation point. For example, a firstterminal might be used to set the year, a second terminal to set themonth, a third terminal to set the day, a fourth terminal to sets theprogram mode—ice cream or beer, and a fifth terminal to set the theduration. Each terminal could be jumpered/wired to various optionsettings. Alternatively, memory in the device could be loaded with thespecific program, including dates, algorithms, sensor controls atinitialization.

The parameter(s) being sensed by sensors 10 will determine the sensinginterface to the product. A temperature sensor may be attached to theoutside wall of the container or the temperature probe may be within thecontainer. A pressure sensor may be sealed inside the container or itmay sense changes in a flexible section of the container from theoutside (a microscopic vacuum pop-up button on a container). The pH maybe sensed directly inside the container or a semipermeable membrane mayallow a sensor to sample the gasses within the container while thesensor is separated from the contents in a separate small pocket of thecontainer.

Further features of the operation of the present invention can be seenwith reference to the operational flow chart of FIG. 2. At initial step20, a default expiration date is preset into controller 2 to bedisplayed by LCD 1. This default expiration date is preferably set byassuming that the product is kept under conditions favorable toextending the shelf life of the product. As the product is being storedand/or used, the expiration date 4 is continuously displayed pursuant tostep 30 of FIG. 2. At step 40, sensors 10 are monitored and sensorsignals indicating environmental conditions are provided to thecontroller 2. As it monitors the one or more sensors 10, the controller2, at step 50, determines whether an environmental triggering conditionhas occurred that necessitates an adjustment to the expiration date. Ifno triggering condition exists, then no action is taken and theoperational flow continues to loop the display and monitoring steps 30and 40.

As an alternative to an LCD display 1, the expiration date may bedisplayed on a plasma display, an LED display, or any other display thatcan represent data to an observer. LCD display 1, also need not bedirectly mounted on the product packaging, or hard wired to controller2. Rather, display 1 can be a part of a remote viewing station, or partof a hand held device that receives radio frequency signals from thecontroller 2 instructing what expiration date 4 should be displayed. Forthe hand held embodiment of display 1, a single display may be used toshow the expiration date 4 for many different containers implementingthe present invention. In operation, the hand held LCD display 1 wouldshow the expiration date 4 for a package to which the hand held displayunit is being proximally held. Thus every package need not have its owndisplay and a hand held or remote view can be used to check variousunits as desired.

If an environmental triggering condition has occurred, at step 60 thecontroller 2 determines whether any use limitations have been exceeded.For example, at this step the controller 2 determines the product hasbeen ruined by excessive moisture based on a sensor input from amoisture sensor 10. Controller 2 is preprogrammed to recognize thatcertain conditions may render the product immediately unusable, or thatthe product will become unusable unless used immediately. Accordingly,if there is a use limitation, then at step 70 controller 3 will cause ause limit message to appear at on the LCD display 4. For example such amessage may say “UNFIT” to convey that the product is no longer usable,or “USE NOW” to convey that the product will no longer be usable in thenear future.

If no use limitations have been exceeded, then controller 2 proceeds tostep 80, where an appropriate modification to the expiration date isdetermined in response to the monitored triggering environmentalcondition. As discussed above, a trigger point may cause a one-timeadjustment to the expiration date. Such adjustment responses arepreprogrammed into controller 2. Alternatively, at step 80, an ongoingtriggering condition can result in the activation of clock 3, which willrun backwards from the previous expiration date at a rate that isdetermined in accordance with tables and/or logic preprogrammed intocontroller 2. The rate of change of the expiration date by controller 3can be made to be proportional to, or otherwise a function of, themagnitude of the measured environmental condition away from a preferredenvironmental condition. For simplicity, it is preferred that there be alinear correlation between the magnitude of the deviation from thepreferred conditions and the rate of adjustment of the expiration date.

While the preferred embodiment described herein, uses the clock 3 tocount down the expiration date, the invention may also be used to extendthe expiration date if it is determined that the product is beingsubject to conditions favorable towards extending shelf life. Thedetermination of the range of favorable conditions is dependent on thenature of the product. For the example of ice cream freezing is good andmelting is bad, while in the case of milk or beer freezing or warmingcan be unfavorable. Thus for some products there may only be a middlerange of conditions which are considered favorable, and such ranges areprogrammed into controller 2.

Examples of triggering conditions for some exemplary products are shownin the table in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, examples are given for threeproducts, ice cream, copier toner and postage meter ink. For each ofthese products different triggering environmental factors forpotentially adjusting expiration date are identified. The “Trigger”column identifies an event sensed by sensors 10 which will identify thata change should be made to the expiration date. The “Linear Phase”column identifies a range of measured environmental conditions for whicha variable rate of change of the expiration date will be adjusted, whereapplicable. In FIG. 3, a linear correlation of the adjustment to therange of environmental values is preferred, however the invention mayutilize any other relationship that suits the particular products. Forexample, a look-up table may be implemented based on empirical datacollected about the particular product. The “Step Phase” column of FIG.3 identifies environmental conditions that may be used to trigger aone-time “step” expiration date adjustment, or to trigger a uselimitation message.

As a further example of a type of sensor 10 to be used with the presentinvention, a sensor for determining whether the seal on a package hasbeen opened may be used. Under this embodiment of a sensor 10, aconductive wire is broken when the package is opened. Upon sensing thatthe conductive wire has become an open circuit, controller 2 may thentake appropriate action, such as shifting the adjustment of theexpiration date from a long term storage mode, to a short term storagemode. This change in mode may result in a use limitation message, aone-time expiration date adjustment, or may cause the controller 2 toconsult a different formula or table for determining an appropriate ratefor adjusting expiration date 4.

Another exemplary sensor 10 is applicable for determining whether afrozen material has melted. In this embodiment, a spring-biased contactis positioned within, or contiguous with, the frozen material. When thematerial melts, the contact is allowed to move. The controller 2 detectsthe change in the state of the contact and takes appropriate action,such as shifting the adjustment of the expiration date from a long termstorage mode, to a mode taking into account that melting has occurred.

For determining environmental trigger conditions and expiration dateadjustments to program into controller 2, health department informationcan be used for foods and materials analysis may be used for otherproducts (light exposure weakens plastic rope, humidity cases certainproducts to lose efficacy). There is extensive information about therequired storage conditions for food (milk must be stored betweentemperature X and temperature Y) with good data regarding theconsequences of storage outside those ranges. Milk's shelf life drops byZ days when stored 5 degrees above the recommended temperature and theshelf life is hours when the temperature is above a certain temperature.Finally there are defined temperatures above which food is consideredunsafe for consumption.

A device implementing the present invention can be deployed at theindividual container level (½ gallon ice cream container), at theconsumer bundle level (case of beer), or at the bulk level (grocerystore shipping pallet). Cost/benefit and marketing considerations willdetermine the best level of monitoring. Premium ice cream providerswould certainly find deployment of this device on every package as beingcost effective and a customer assurance benefit. Commodity items mightbe tagged at the “6 pack” or case level. Accordingly, when the presentapplication makes reference to a “product,” the term may apply toindividual packages or a unit group of individual packages.

Any of the components including the controller 2, display 1, sensor 10or battery (not shown) could be recycled, possibly for a deposit amountsuch as five or ten cents, such as is normal for states having bottleand can return policies. Bulk shippers might use these devices on palletshipments to grocery stores.

Although the present invention has been described with emphasis onparticular embodiments, it should be understood that the figures are forillustration of the exemplary embodiment of the invention and should notbe taken as limitations or thought to be the only means of carrying outthe invention. Further, it is contemplated that many changes andmodifications may be made to the invention without departing from thescope and spirit of the invention as disclosed.

1. A method for dynamically displaying and adjusting a productexpiration date comprising the steps of: attaching an expiration datedisplay to a product, the expiration date display identifying theexpiration date for the product; setting a default expiration date forthe expiration date display; sensing one or more environmentalconditions relevant to expiration of usefulness of the product;adjusting the expiration date on the expiration date display responsiveto the one or more sensed environmental conditions; further includingthe step of setting an environmental condition trigger point, andwherein the step of adjusting the expiration date includes commencingwith said adjusting the expiration date upon sensing that the one ormore environmental conditions have reached the environmental conditiontrigger point.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sensing oneor more environmental conditions includes sensing opening of acontainer.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of sensing openingof the container includes sensing that an electrical circuit has beenbroken by opening the container.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein thestep of adjusting the expiration date includes extending the expirationdate and shortening the expiration date depending on the sensedenvironmental condition.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step ofsetting the default expiration date includes selecting the defaultexpiration date by assuming that the product will not be subjected toadverse environmental conditions.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein thestep adjusting the expiration date includes counting down the expirationdate with a clock when an adverse environmental condition is sensed. 7.The method of claim 6 wherein the step of counting down the expirationdate includes modulating the clock speed based upon fuzzy logic, linearlogic, or lookup tables as a function of the one or more sensedenvironmental conditions.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step ofcounting down the expiration date with a clock includes adjusting therate of counting down as a function of a magnitude of the adverseenvironmental condition.
 9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step ofcounting down the expiration date with a clock includes adjusting therate of counting down as a function of the duration of the adverseenvironmental condition.
 10. An apparatus for dynamically displaying andadjusting a product expiration date, the apparatus comprising: a displayshowing the expiration date for the product; one or more sensors forsensing one or more environmental conditions relevant to expiration ofusefulness of the product; and a controller coupled to the display andthe one or more sensors, the controller adjusting the expiration date onthe expiration date display responsive to the one or more sensedenvironmental conditions; wherein the controller is programmed with anenvironmental condition trigger point, and the controller adjusts theexpiration date when the one or more sensors sense that the one or moreenvironmental conditions have reached the environmental conditiontrigger point.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controlleradjusts the expiration date responsive to the sensors sensing opening ofa container.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the one or moresensors include an electrical circuit positioned to be broken by openingof the container.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controllerfurther comprises a clock that counts-down the expiration date at apredetermined clock speed when an adverse environmental condition issensed.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the clock speed ismodulated by the controller based upon fuzzy logic, linear logic, orlookup tables as a function of the one or more sensed environmentalconditions sensed by the one or more sensors.
 15. The apparatus of claim14 wherein the clock speed is modulated by the controller as a functionof a magnitude of the adverse environmental condition sensed by the oneor more sensors.
 16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the clock speedis modulated by the controller as a function of the duration of theadverse environmental condition sensed by the one or more sensors. 17.The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the display is mounted on packaging ofthe product.
 18. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the display ismounted at a remote location, and the display is in radio frequencycontact with the controller, and the display is configured to serve morethan one controller mounted on different product unit packages.
 19. Theapparatus of claim 18 wherein the display is configured as part of aportable hand-held unit that communicates with respective controllerswhen the portable hand-held unit is held proximally to the controllers.20. A method for dynamically displaying and adjusting a productexpiration date comprising the steps of: attaching an expiration datedisplay to a product, the expiration date display identifying theexpiration date for the product; setting a default expiration date forthe expiration date display; sensing one or more conditions of theproduct; adjusting the expiration date on the expiration date displayresponsive to the one or more sensed conditions of the product; settinga predetermined optimal use condition of the product; determiningwhether the product is experiencing the predetermined optimal usecondition; and displaying an indication that the product is ready foroptimal use when the product is experiencing the predetermined optimaluse condition.